Of 50 face transplants that have been performed globally since 2005, the 10-year survival rate stands at 74%, researchers found in a study that looked at the procedure's outcomes.
The study, published Sept. 17 in JAMA Surgery, draws on data from face transplants performed at 18 centers spanning 11 countries, covering the first 50 patients who've undergone the procedure globally. Median patient age at the time of transplant was 35.
Three things to know:
- Overall survival of the transplant at five and 10 years was the primary outcome researchers observed. This assessed both whether the patient survived and whether the transplant lasted.
- The five- and 10-year transplant survival was 85% and 74%, respectively. Ten patients died, including two who lost their transplant. When researchers looked solely at whether the transplant was lost or not, the survival rates were 96% and 83%, respectively.
- The study found that the success of a transplant was significantly influenced by when it was performed, with more recent procedures associated with a higher chance of favorable outcomes.
"These results demonstrate that with the encouraging overall survival rate of the face transplants, the procedure can be seen as an effective reconstructive option for patients with severe facial defects," researchers said.
Most recently, NYU Langone performed the world's first whole-eye and partial face transplant at NYU Langone Health. Fifteen months after undergoing the procedure, 46-year-old Aaron James recovered with no signs of rejection, his clinical team said in a Sept. 9 update.